Cold Springs coach Tim Willoughby puts his arms straight up while Holly Pond's Dawson Foust releases a 3-point attempt Friday night. 

COLD SPRINGS — Paige Parker-Adams extended her hand in front of the scorer’s table before Friday’s varsity girls game, and Tammy West just rolled her eyes.

C’mon, now. When you come back home to take on your former coach, of course you’re getting a hug.

Emme Willoughby went off for 29 points, and Camryn Crider came through for all 11 of hers in the fourth quarter, giving West and Cold Springs just enough to pull away for a 59-43 county victory over Parker-Adams and Holly Pond.

Both coaches hilariously sported nearly identical outfits — tan pants, black tops and black shoes — but West said it was still weird to see Parker-Adams, a 2009 Cold Springs graduate, “wearing that green over there.”

West said she’s proud of Parker-Adams and considers her like another daughter. But same as when facing her brother at West Point, the Cold Springs icon wasn’t the biggest fan of going toe-to-toe with a loved one.

“It was strange,” West said. “I hated it. I dreaded it. All week long, I’ve dreaded this. I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all.”

Despite the defeat — something she’d never experienced as a player inside Jesse George Gymnasium — Parker-Adams summed up the evening as one she won’t soon forget.

“It was pretty cool,” she said. “Just growing up, I knew this is what I was going to do, and I always envisioned myself one day hopefully either coaching with her or coaching against her. Unfortunately, it was coaching against her, but it was pretty cool getting to see her on the other side.”

Cold Springs started the week by surviving a strong test from a county rival and ended it the same way, finally taking control Friday around the midway point of the fourth quarter. Willoughby, who rounded out her stat-line with seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks, and Crider were crucial in helping the Eagles create some distance for the finish.

Neely Ellison added six points on a couple of treys.

“Too many turnovers,” West said. “Waaaay too many turnovers. But you knew it was going to be competitive. It’s Cold Springs and Holly Pond. Paige has got ’em, and I know they’re going to play hard. They shot the ball well tonight. We didn’t defend well, kind of stood around a lot. Didn’t shoot well outside at all. Didn’t take a lot of the outside shots. Missed a bunch of easy shots in the first half, a lot of layups.”

And, in spite of all those imperfections, Cold Springs still emerged triumphant to stay undefeated at 7-0.

“We won,” West said. “That’s nice to say, because that’s two in a row that I’ve felt like we didn’t play our best but we’ve won. Emme, it’s nice to have her as the go-to in there. But I was proud of all of them. We did what we had to do in the end.”

Parker-Adams had every reason to be pleased with her squad’s effort as well. Holly Pond trailed by just three in the early stages of the fourth quarter before Elizabeth Hill and Crider created some separation with a 3-pointer and layup off a steal.

Kolby Holcombe drained five shots from deep to finish with 15 points for the Broncos (2-5). Molly Gambrill secured nine points, and Ruth Horton added six.

“I thought we battled and fought and did everything we could do,” Parker-Adams said. “I was super proud. Missed free throw here and there, missed layups here and there. You know, I tell my girls we’ve got to finish and get the easy ones, the free ones, and we didn’t do that as well. But I thought we gave them a run for their money for sure.”

Cold Springs travels to West Point next Tuesday, while Holly Pond hits the road to Susan Moore.

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Varsity Boys

Holly Pond 71, Cold Springs 54

Most everyone already knows Bailey Smith is a master facilitator.

But when the senior point guard decides to shoot, he’s not too shabby at that, either.

With the home team still hanging tight well into the second quarter, Smith caught fire for 10 of his 14 points to keep the Eagles at bay and lift the Broncos to their eighth win in as many games.

Holly Pond led 15-14 after one and weathered nine lead changes before enjoying much more comfortable 34-24 and 55-39 cushions at the other quarter breaks.

Drew Jones topped the Green and White with 17 points. Matt Cahoon, who kicked off the clash with a steal and slam, was next in line with 10 points, followed by Jake Harris with nine. Caleb Jones came off the bench for six.

Cold Springs (2-4) landed four players in double figures. Jesse Lee and Eli Hamby each scored 11 points, and Blake Wood and Fisher Willoughby were both good for 10. Hunter McClendon just missed out on the club with eight.

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JV Girls

Cold Springs 34, Holly Pond 30

Tony West collected 13 points, and Hannah Stricklin chipped in eight points as the Lady Eagles staved off the Broncos’ fourth-quarter rally.

Kylon Hamby aided the victory with seven points.

Makenna Folds had 18 points for Holly Pond, which went scoreless in the third quarter after entering the half down just 20-17.